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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known by
3many as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive fatal
4neurodegenerative disease in which a person's brain loses
5connection with the muscles, slowly taking away their ability
6to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe; and
 
7    WHEREAS, ALS has no cure, and every 90 minutes, someone is
8diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS; on
9average, patients diagnosed with ALS only survive two to five
10years from the time of diagnosis; and
 
11    WHEREAS, People who have served in the military are more
12likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with
13no history of military service; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Securing access to new therapies, durable medical
15equipment, and communication technologies is of vital
16importance to people living with ALS; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating
18new treatments, enhancing quality of life, and fostering
19assistive technologies for those living with ALS; and
 
20    WHEREAS, This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ice

 

 

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1Bucket Challenge, and it is fitting to make a renewed
2commitment to galvanize public awareness and support funding
3leading to significant investments in ALS research; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The ALS Association, as the largest philanthropic
5funder of ALS research globally, has committed over $154
6million to support more than 550 projects across the United
7States and 18 other countries; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The ALS community and researchers remain
9unwaveringly committed to accelerating the pace of discovery,
10fueled by the hope that one day ALS will be a livable disease
11for everyone, everywhere; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Observing ALS Awareness Month increases the
13public's awareness of the dire circumstances faced by people
14living with ALS, acknowledges the terrible impact this disease
15has, not only on the person but on his or her family and the
16community, and recognizes the research being done to eradicate
17this disease; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
19ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 2024 as
20ALS Awareness Month and urge all Americans to join in
21supporting ALS research, advocating for increased funding, and
22standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless

 

 

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1disease.